About This Song
Rainy Days and Mondays is a song by the Carpenters from their self-titled third album, with instrumental backing by the Wrecking Crew. It was written by Paul Williams (lyrics) and Roger Nichols (music), who had previously written “We’ve Only Just Begun,” another hit for the duo.
“Rainy Days and Mondays” was released as a single in September 1971 and peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, spending seven weeks in the Top 10. It was kept from number 1 by “It’s Too Late”/”I Feel the Earth Move” by Carole King. The song was also the duo’s fourth number 1 single on the Adult Contemporary singles chart.
The song is a melancholy ballad about the blues of rainy days and the start of a new workweek. The lyrics express the feeling of being trapped and longing for something better. Karen Carpenter’s vocals are particularly poignant on this track, capturing the mood of the song perfectly.
“Rainy Days and Mondays” has become one of the Carpenters’ signature songs and is still widely popular today. It has been covered by many other artists over the years, including the Beach Boys, Olivia Newton-John, and Barbra Streisand.
In 2017, “Rainy Days and Mondays” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Video
Lyric
Talkin’ to myself and feelin’ old
Sometimes I’d like to quit
Nothing ever seems to fit
Hangin’ around
Nothing to do but frown
Rainy Days and Mondays always get me downWhat I’ve got they used to call the blues
Nothin’ is really wrong
Feelin’ like I don’t belong
Walkin’ around
Some kind of lonely clown
Rainy Days and Mondays always get me downFunny but it seems I always wind up here
with you
Nice to know somebody loves meFunny but it seems that it’s the only thing to do
Run and find the one who loves meWhat I feel has come and gone before
No need to talk it out
We know what it’s all about
Hangin’ around
Nothing to do but frown
Rainy Days and Mondays always get me downFunny but it seems that it’s the only thing to do
Run and find the one who loves meWhat I feel has come and gone before
No need to talk it out
We know what it’s all about
Hangin’ around
Nothing to do but frown
Rainy Days and Mondays always get me downHangin’ around
Nothing to do but frown
Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down